Justice (Retd) B. Sudershan Reddy, the opposition INDIA bloc's candidate for Vice President, has expressed his intention to appeal to all Members of Parliament (MPs) in the upcoming election, aiming for cross-party support. Reddy, a former Supreme Court judge, filed his nomination on August 21, 2025, accompanied by prominent leaders from the INDIA bloc, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi. He is set to contest against NDA nominee CP Radhakrishnan. The election is scheduled for September 9, 2025.

Reddy's nomination signifies the opposition's commitment to democratic values amid concerns about stifled voices in Parliament, according to Kharge. Kharge emphasized Reddy's dedication to fairness, compassion, and the empowerment of every citizen, highlighting his life and work as reflections of the spirit of the Constitution. Reddy himself has stated that he will try to defend and protect the Constitution as expected of the Vice President, who holds a high constitutional office.

In his initial reaction after being nominated, Reddy conveyed his happiness and willingness to undertake this journey. He said that if it was an unpleasant one, he would not have proceeded further. Reddy clarified that he does not view the contest as a rivalry but rather as an opportunity to serve the nation.

Reddy believes that the members of the Parliament will consider his candidature and his track record of service to the nation on its own merits. He is confident that they will make an appropriate decision in the matter.

Reddy was born on July 8, 1946, in the Rangareddy district of Telangana. He has had a long and distinguished legal career, serving as a Judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court, and Judge of the Supreme Court. He retired from the Supreme Court in 2011. He was also the first Lokayukta of Goa, but he resigned after a few months due to personal reasons.

The Vice President is elected by an electoral college comprising MPs from both Houses of Parliament. Reddy acknowledged that the electoral college consists of members of the Parliament, not the political parties. Therefore, he did not consider how many political parties there are in the INDIA bloc or elsewhere. He is appealing to the members of the Parliament to consider his candidature on its own merits.

Reddy also pointed out that since it is not a general election, there is no question of any whip from political parties asking members to vote for a particular candidate. He believes that the members will use their wisdom and individual assessment about the relative merits and demerits of the candidates to exercise their franchise.